South Florida commonly attracts homeowners who want glorious beach views and warm weather. But new state laws require condos to have sufficient cash reserves to cover any major repairs and conduct inspections on buildings three stories or higher — which is forcing more condo owners to sell their homes.  Read the article…………………………….

In this latest issue of the Miami Condo Market Intelligence Report™, we examine the surging number of resale listings on the market which now represent more than 11 months of supply.  Read the article…………………………….

Question: I am a director for a small residential community governed by an HOA in search of direction for making changes to association common areas. Chapter 720 [the HOA Act] does not mention requirements for common area changes. Our covenants are also silent on this matter.   Read the Q&A………………………………..

As state lawmakers prepare for the upcoming legislative session, addressing rising condo costs is among the top priorities on both sides of the aisle, regardless of whether a special session is called ahead of time.     Read the article…………………………….

An official is concerned about panhandlers asking for money in The Villages.  Community Development District 4 Supervisor Cliff Wiener said he is concerned about panhandlers at Mulberry Grove Plaza.  “I don’t like to see panhandlers in The Villages,” said Wiener, who is also the president of the Property Owners Association.    Read the article…………………………….

Florida lawmakers will try this year to find some relief for condo residents dealing with the soaring cost of fees to be in compliance with stricter inspection laws.  After the fatal collapse of the Surfside Condo building in 2021, lawmakers passed a bill mandating stringent structural inspections and increased financial reserves for repairs, escalating costs […]

A woman who admitted to pouring concrete into her neighborhood’s drainage system will have to pay Seminole County for its time, even though the problem has finally been fixed.  At a code enforcement hearing Thursday, the county confirmed repairs have been made in the Shadow Bay community. A special magistrate ordered the homeowner responsible for […]

If a condo in Florida does not undergo the required inspection, the condo association could face significant consequences including: difficulty obtaining insurance renewals, increased insurance premiums, potential legal action from owners, inability to sell units easily due to disclosure requirements, and may be forced to levy special assessments on owners to cover necessary repairs identified […]

Question: I live in a condominium that has 18 units, all under one roof. There are three different floor plans with different unit sizes.  I requested that we change how we collect assessments for our rising insurance costs by pro-rating them by the square footage of each unit, as now the smaller units are paying […]

The third-quarter report contains some good news for condominium owners. The average cost to cover a condo unit in Florida increased by just 1.3% for the second straight quarter — to $1,737 — after rising as high as 5.9% between the first and second quarters of 2023.       Read the article…………………………….

Along Red Bird Court in Seminole, there’s about two acres of grassy land full of invasive Brazilian pepper trees and a dock leading into the Gulf of Mexico.  For years, one neighbor in the quiet subdivision controlled the vacant property. But when Michael Scurry moved in next door and tried to trim some of the […]

Florida condominium owners are looking at higher costs from condo associations in the new year, a consequence of a safety law passed by state lawmakers in 2022.  It requires associations to have sufficient reserves to cover major repairs and to conduct a survey of reserves every decade. Because of the law, older condos – found […]

Condo buildings have been under greater scrutiny in Florida in the wake of the Surfside condo collapse, and a major deadline is looming for condo associations that could see fees skyrocket for many homeowners.  Since the collapse of Champlain Towers South more than three years ago, a new law requires condo associations to submit spending […]

Florida’s ongoing condo crisis is not only affecting older residents on fixed incomes, but also young professionals in Palm Beach County who are feeling the financial strain and are weighing up whether they can afford to stay in their units or will be forced to sell.   Read the article…………………………….

Q: At the recent annual meeting of our condominium association, the president asked at the end of the meeting if there was any “new business.” I raised my hand and made a motion to appoint a committee to audit the insurance income and expenditures from Hurricane Ian. The president told me she would take it […]

Safety changes set to take effect in Florida will cause costs to go up for many condo owners.   Video news report……………………..

The lawsuit — filed on Thursday by Tarina Akbari with co-counsel from the Haggard Law Firm and Ben Crump Law — demands a jury trial for damages in excess of $50,000 in Rakim Akbari’s death, stating the 3-year-old drowned in a retention pond at Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas.  The suit names Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation, […]